0812. The Life and How It Is Obtained
The Life and How It Is Obtained
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1Pe_1:23).
We have saved this all-important theme for the last. Perhaps there is some one who has never known this Life in Christ Jesus, and who is desirous of receiving life. May God help us to make the way plain.
It was Nicodemus who was deeply moved when Christ said to him, "Ye must be born again." The man knew much. He was a teacher himself, but he did not know how to be born again.
We confess, at once, that we do not understand the philosophy of the new birth. We have never tried to explain its inner secrets–as to how it is all done. We do, however, know enough to meet the needs of a poor lost sinner. We know what he must do to be saved. Let us follow out what God says about this new life.
1. We are born again by believing in Christ. This is what Christ told Nicodemus. He spoke of Moses and the brazen serpent and how the men were saved who looked upon it, and then He added: "Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (Joh_3:14-15). Following this word, Christ added Joh_3:16, the verse that has led many thousands to know God in saving grace.
2. We are born again by the Word. This is what our key text asserts. It is the Word of God sown in the heart that engenders the new life in Christ Jesus. The Word tells of Christ, yea, the Word is Christ. As we hear the Word and receive it into honest hearts, faith cometh, even the faith that bringeth life.
Oh, let the unsaved receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save the soul (see Jam_1:21).
The life-giving power of the Word is set forth in Joh_6:51, where Christ said, "If any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever." The Bread of this passage is Christ, and Christ is the Word.
3. We are born again by the Spirit. "The Spirit giveth life" (2Co_3:6). "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (Joh_3:6). Thus the new life in Christ is the working of the Spirit of God. We may not understand the Spirit, for He is like the wind, and we know not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth. However, the one who does not understand the wind, may know how to hold the sails to catch its blowings. Just so, we who do not understand the Spirit, may throw up the sail of faith and catch the breath of the Spirit, and He will bring forth life.
One thing is all-important. We must remember that this new life, this eternal life, is a gift. "The gift of God is eternal life." Let no one try to buy this gift; let no one seek it on a basis of works. It is to as many as received Him, not to as many as served Him, that He gave the right to become His children.
The way that leadeth into life is narrow (see Mat_7:14). If one would be saved, it is necessary to come God's way. Man has many suggestions, and many attempts but all are worse than useless. The way of life is as simple, as it is narrow–it is simply this: "He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life." It is not a historical assent merely, but a faith IN Christ or a faith ON Christ. There must be affiance as well as assent, in true faith. Saving faith is of the heart, far more than of the head. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness" (Rom_10:10).
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR